It’s been a few months now since the final book in The Southern Vampire Mysteries was released, although there is apparently an addendum to the series coming out in October that will explain what happened to the characters after the story ended.
For a small town girl, Sookie Stackhouse’s life is full of trauma. She’s forever being attacked, shot, stabbed, beaten, kidnapped – the list goes on.
So I thought I would take a look back at 10 of the most dramatic, pivotal and downright horrendous moments in the life of Bon Temps most loved waitress.
*Watch out, this is full of spoilers.*
Dead Until Dark: Adele Stackhouse is murdered.
Sookie’s grandmother was a central figure in her life, having raised her and Jason after the death of their parents. When Adele is brutally murdered in her own kitchen, the reality of Sookie’s new supernatural life hits home and she is forced to find her own way in the world for the first time. A pillar of virtue and good ol’ Southern cooking, Sookie still tries to hold herself to Adele’s standards long after her grandmother’s demise.
Living Dead in Dallas: Sookie is held captive by the Fellowship of the Sun.
Thanks to her telepathy, Sookie has always been considered an oddball by those in her community. But her encounter with The Fellowship of the Sun introduces her to true, indiscriminate hatred and those who are willing to use violence to further their agenda.
Club Dead: Bill brutalises Sookie.
After she rescues him from his captors, Sookie is trapped in the trunk of a car with a hungry, delirious Bill, which results in a brutal attack from the man she loves. Although she doesn’t blame him, it is another step towards the end of their relationship.
Dead to the World: Sookie kills Debbie Pelt.
The death of Debbie Pelt reverberates through the Southern Vampire series; in fact, it might be the single definitive moment in Sookie’s story, as it is the first time she kills a ‘human’. Although it was in self-defence, she constantly questions her actions and struggles to reconcile them with her religion and the values she was taught by her grandmother.
Dead as a Doornail: Sookie becomes involved in the leadership contest for the Shreveport pack.
In itself, the leadership battle for the Shreveport pack that kills Jackson Herveaux isn’t that memorable. But it reveals to Sookie the underside of were life, the bloodlust and base sexuality. Her involvement in this event also leads to several further unpleasant encounters as the series progresses and ultimately destroys the possibility of her building a romantic relationship with Alcide Herveaux.
Definitely Dead: Sookie finds out Bill dated her under orders from the Queen of Louisiana.
A defining emotional moment in Sookie’s life, as she is heartbroken to discover that Bill only began dating her on the orders of his vampire superior.
Dead and Gone: Sookie is tortured by fairies Lochlan and Naeve.
One of the worst moments for Sookie in the whole series and one that she struggled to recover from, both physically and mentally.
Dead and Gone: Arlene lures Sookie to her trailer as part of a plot to crucify her.
Although Arlene had fallen in with a bad crowd, Sookie still cared for her former friend. But Arlene’s attempt to entice Sookie to her home so that her accomplices could crucify the telepath was truly shocking.
Dead Reckoning: Sookie learns Eric’s maker has arranged for him to marry the Queen of Oklahoma.
Her relationship with Eric is central to the story, throughout the whole series. Yet the moment Sookie discovers that a marriage has been arranged for her lover, it starts to disintegrate, until the final book when there is no way it can recover.
Deadlocked: Sookie learns Claude has been behind a plot against her.
Another betrayal, this time from a family member who Sookie had allowed herself to grow close to after losing so many others. Despite his beautiful face, Claude turned out to be irredeemable.
Of course, the story of Sookie Stackhouse spans 13 novels, plus various short stories and compendiums, so there are many other events and heartbreaks that shape her character. These are just a few of the most memorable.
What would you add to the list?